There is nothing as dangerous as a powerful slave. Wearing a crown does not change a person’s mind, it only exposes it. Though the colonial masters have physically left the African continent, they remain with us psychologically and emotionally. This is evident in how we relate to one another. Africans continue to enslave themselves by refusing to learn, unlearn, and grow.
The sycophants among us interfere in the affairs of leadership while the elite sit back and watch. The mentality of master and servant still exists today, you see it in classrooms, workplaces, and even among government officials. Once someone is given a position within an institution, they often become authoritarian, viewing colleagues as subjects rather than equals.
This problem extends even to primary school classrooms, where a simple prefect role can be misused. It raises important questions about the kind of leadership model we have accepted as a people, and it helps explain why many of our so-called leaders continue to please outsiders at the expense of their own citizens.
Today, many government-created task forces and unions exist to enforce policies and maintain order. However, these policies are often implemented without meaningful public participation. More concerning is how these task forces operate, their original purpose frequently shifts toward revenue generation rather than service. They are less about creating lasting change and more about punishing defaulters and extracting compliance.
We hear of people dying in police detention without proper investigation. In some cases, individuals are killed publicly without consequences. Justice is no longer about the law but about who you know.
In South Africa, we see Africans turning against fellow Africans, labeling them as foreigners, while the real economic powers remain largely untouched. And even if someone is a foreigner, does that justify taking a life you cannot create?
Gradually, we seem to be drifting toward barbarism. The pain a tree feels when struck by an axe is deeper because the handle is made from the same tree. In the Southeast, armed groups operate where there is no declared war, and innocent traders and businesspeople fall victim in the name of security.
It saddens me each time I read or hear about these events happening in a continent so richly blessed with natural resources. Sometimes I wonder if we might have been better off without them. Yet the real problem is not the resources, it is the selfishness and greed of leaders, and the unquenchable desire to please outsiders.
Woe to the land when a slave becomes king… Aru mere ha.
Villages, communities, and states must rethink the path we are taking. Today, one can hardly step out with confidence of returning safely. It may be fake police officers or unknown task forces accusing you of crimes you did not commit, only to detain or extort you.
Everyone must remain watchful—maka agwo di na akirika ooo. Protect yourself and stay alert. Together, we will get through this phase, but we must stay alive to see it.
Isee!!
I remain your friend and brother,
Maazi Onuora Obodoechi.
Pen it down. 